


caring was a necessary myth

by MiniNephthys



Category: End Roll (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-16
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-15 09:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8050675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: The Informant talks about his feelings on the townspeople.





	caring was a necessary myth

After investigating a room filled with 0's and 1's until he can't find anything new, Russell stops to chat with the Informant some more. He takes a seat at the bar, surveys the surroundings, and asks, "Do you like her?"

The Informant raises an eyebrow. "I may know more about your dream than anyone else, but I'm not actually a mind-reader, Russell. Who do you mean?"

Russell jerks his head in the direction of Yumi.

"Oh." The Informant lowers his voice. "Why do you think that?"

"You were really worried about her," Russell says. "When she - I - she talked to you."

"She's the only one you never were angry at," the Informant says, eyes closed. "And I'm just part of you, remember? So of course I like her best. Besides, no one deserves to deal with... that."

Calling that monster 'Dad' out loud is too hard for either of them. Russell understands. "What do you think of the others?"

"Hm... well, going backwards..." The Informant thinks for a second. "Mireille has plenty of faults, but she never claimed to be a perfect person. She was genuinely nice to you, and didn't deserve what you did to her. ...Although, I almost thought you would actually die when you took her back to the hospital. You're made of strong stuff."

Russell is physically strong, sure. That's what the Informant means, probably. He makes a noise of agreement.

"Kantera... I said earlier that he was just using you, but you're pretty conflicted about that, aren't you? A lot of you wants to believe that he genuinely liked you, despite how it ended." The Informant pauses, and then shrugs. "Since he's dead now, you'll never know for sure. But if it makes you happier to think that your friendship was real, go ahead and think that."

It makes him feel more guilty about what happened, mostly. That's probably why this Kantera likes him so much.

"Dogma and Cody... You didn't know them at all, so their personalities are almost completely fabricated here. I don't have strong feelings on them - they did absolutely nothing to you, but they didn't help you like Yumi and Mireille did. Although... actually, maybe you've been playing too many video games after all, deciding that a girl with twintails had to be a tsundere."

That gets Russell to chuckle a little.

"Gardenia can be a little overwhelming. I don't know if we would have been friends even if you'd tried harder. But it would've been worth trying, right? She seems genuinely nice. And, lastly, Tabasa..." The Informant trails off.

"Tabasa," Russell prompts, after a moment or two of silence.

"People who are that good-hearted and trusting have always bugged you," the Informant says. "They obviously haven't had to go through what you have, because they'd turn out bitter and jaded like you. But... you do kind of admire some of those people, at the same time."

Now it's Russell's turn to raise his eyebrows.

"I know you better than anyone else does," the Informant adds, a little defensive. "I'm not limited to what you consciously know about yourself. You definitely do admire people like Tabasa, or you wouldn't have wanted him to be your big brother even for a second."

"So you want him to be your brother too?" Russell asks.

The Informant hesitates. "Well... I am you, so it'd be weird if I didn't, right?"

Russell nods. "Okay. I'll send him over."

"Hey, wait-"

But Russell is already moving to talk to the Nightmare in the corner, and half a minute later there's Tabasa in place of where Russell was. He turns and gives the Informant a friendly wave. "Hey, Informant. Uh... do you have a real name? Just calling you 'Informant' seems kind of cold."

"I-Informant's fine." The Informant's face is red. "Um... So..."

"Something up?" Tabasa asks.

"Would it be okay if, if I called... you..." The Informant hesitates a second longer, then buries his face in his hands. "Never mind, forget I ever said anything."

Tabasa sounds concerned. "Are you okay-?"

"I'm fine, just go talk to Russell or something!"

"Alright, just don't stress yourself too much, alright?" Tabasa pats the Informant once on the shoulder, then leaves, probably to go talk to Russell about how weird his body double is being.

"...Russell, even you don't know this, but it's when you're trying to be nice that you're the most cruel..."


End file.
